The boom period for chameleons continues for the region with Perth Zoo having now acquired the species as well - reported on their FB page.
Exotic Amphibians and Reptiles in Australian Zoos
- Thread starter zooboy28
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scallywag2024
Well-Known Member
Cooberrie Park Wildlife Sanctuary now have 2 x Leopard Tortoises on display (as per Facebook post)
Banana Cabana Primate Sanctuary have at least one African Spurred Tortoise. They posted an initial video on their Facebook page in September 2023 and I have managed to corroborate the holding with a visitor image from February of this year.
captain alligator
Well-Known Member
Are the Spectacled caiman still kept at Malcolm Douglas Wilderness Park? I honestly didn't even know that they were kept at the Australian Zoos.(I knew that American alligator were kept at the Australian Zoos.)
I believe they were kept at another park before going to the MDWP
captain alligator
Well-Known Member
Spectacled caiman (Probably a Brown caiman) were previously kept at Taronga Zoo,This may be different from the individual currently being kept at MDWP.
Taronga had quite a few baby Caimen (six at the time of the opening of the previous Reptile House, Serpentia).
Yes, they’re still there.
Malcolm Douglas Wildlife Park posted four days ago about the completion of their new Caiman and New Guinea Crocodile ponds.
captain alligator
Well-Known Member
To be honest, I think it's quite rare for Australian zoos to keep any Caimans. (Caiman they are commonly kept in Europe, North America, Central and South America, and Asia)
They’re not well suited to colder climates, so that would have influenced the decision to discontinue with them; plus they’re not endangered, so haven’t been a focus for the region in recent decades.
The hardier American alligator are held across many Australian and New Zealand zoos; and the critically endangered Phillipines crocodile is held at Melbourne Zoo inside their Reptile House.
So that's the one only at the Melbourne zoo right?
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Yes, one male named Luzon.
The had a female (who died) and previously bred them, with the offspring all exported unfortunately. It would have been nice to have seen other zoos in the region acquire them.
Taronga had plans to house them in their new Reptile and Amphibian Centre, but nothing came of it.
Osedax
Well-Known Member
Crocodylus has them as well according to the first page of this thread.
I believe there was a real interest in some other zoos acquiring them in the region but they were still sent to the Phillipines anyway and from what I understand just about every road side zoo has them there so what's the point!
That’s correct. I assume they’re still there (there’s not a lot of information on the website and it’s hard to get a straight answer from the map).
Not sure on numbers, but they went on display in 2014, having arrived some years prior:
Darwin welcomes Philippines' tiny, aggressive crocodiles
captain alligator
Well-Known Member
According to Zootierliste, Japanese giant salamander were kept at Taronga Zoo until around 1985, but is this true? Has anyone actually seen it?
ZootierlisteHomepage
ZootierlisteHomepage
A pair were imported from Japan in either 1983 or 1984.
@steveroberts saw them on site in 1995 and noted they were gone by 2002 (with them dying in between those years).
captain alligator
Well-Known Member
Japanese giant salamander are thought to be a gift in gratitude when koala were given to Japanese zoos. At the time, it was probably the only giant salamander kept in captivity in Oceania.
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scallywag2024
Well-Known Member
I thought they held leopard tortoise, not spur thighed?
I’m no tortoise expert so here are the images attached.
